Angie (McNeil) Lord - January 24, 1871 - Toledo, OH

East Toledo O Dec, 30th, 1870

My Dear Sister,

Ever since we received your welcome letter last summer I have been intending to write to you. Harriet keeps saying I must write to poor Dot, its a shame to treat her so, and althought I may not not express myself in the same words, yet they express my sentiments. It is so long since I have seen you, or written to you that I feel almost like as though I was addressing a stranger, instead of a sister that I used to know and love so well. How many changes has taken place since we last met! I hardly ever allow myself to look back, it makes me too sad. Elizabeth, Moth ang your husband, all gone from this world of care and toil, to a better world, a place of heaven by rest. Mother so longed for the change and was such an extreme sufferer that we all felt what a blessed relief death was to her. When Elizabeth was taken I was very much unreconciled but have had reason many times since to bless God for removing her from sorrows which would have broken her heart had she lived to to have known of them. Though it may be hard to give up our dear ones, time will show us that the Lord doeth all things well. I suppose you have thear through Hannah what I am about. I am still teaching and expect I always shall, I have just closed my fifth year in this place, and expect to continue until the 1st of July if not longer. I have been thinking some of visiting you next summer, though it is so far ahead that I don’t much like making many calculations. If I should I think I can talk to you much more satisfactorially I am a worse correspondent than when you knew me, I have great many cares, and many things to take my attention that never troubled me in younger days.

Jan 24th 1871

Dear Sister,

In looking over my portfolio, I find a half written to you, and think I better add a few lines and send it on, to let you know that I have thought of you, and that my intentions were good, if they were so long being put into execution. Since I commenced this letter I have decided to go to California next July and spend a year. A special friend of mine there has set me a very cardinal invitation to spend a year with her and as I am very tired of teaching and need the rest I accepted her invitation and shall go as soon as school closes, She says if I will spend a year with her, if at the end of that time I am discontented and wish to return she will clothe me well and pay my expenses back to Toledo. Harriet and family are [illegible] as usual. I have not seen any of them for over a week, but hear from them frequently. My school is large this am I am very busy all day, and when night comes I am too tired to go any-where even to visit my friends. I will not make any apologies for this poor letter, but will simply remark that it may be the forerunner of some better ones.

My love to your-self and family, and any of your friends that I may know. Hoping that I may hear from you I remain

your sister Angie McNeil